Apparatus for handling ammunition.



No. 718,832. PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903. H. "EVERHART. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AMMUNITION.

APPLICATION FILED DOT. 22. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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61 Remap UNITED STA E DAY H. EVERHA'RT, OFHTI'IE UNITED STATES NAVY.

APPARATUS FOR HAN LING AMMUNITION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,832, dated January 20, 1903.

Application filed October 22, 1902. Serial ll'o. 128,299. (No model.)

To alt w/tom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LAY H. EVERHART, a lieutenant in the United States Navy, residing at Decatur, in the county of Dekalb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus-for Handling Ammunition; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to apparatus for handling ammunition for use in ships turrets.

According to my invention I arrange a series of tracks with switches so disposed that no matter what may be the position of the turret the ammunition may be transported to and delivered into the ammunition-car.

My invention will be understood by reference to accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view mainly diagrammatical and shows a handling-room and a section of the hoisting apparatus along the line 1 1 of Fig. 2 and looking down. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the handling-room and shows the trunk of the turret and the ammunition-tube. Fig. 3 is a detail showing a means of attaching a circular track to the ammunition-tube. Fig. 4 is a detailshowing one of the ammunition trolley-hangers. Fig. 5 is a detail showing one of the brackets for the trolleys tracks, and Fig. 6 is a detail showing the switch arrangement connecting the circular track and the ammunition-tracks.

A represents the handling-roo1n,into which projects the ammunition-tube B, which is secured to and turns with the turret in the usual way; It is cutaway, as at b, to permit the passage thereinto of the shell and powder charge. This tube is provided with a ring B. Around the tube B and above the said ring I mount the circular track 0, which is connected to the ammunition-tube by the brackets 0. (Shown in detail in Fig. 3.)

D represents curved tracks suspended overhead from the deck above E by means of the brackets F. These brackets have upper platesffor convenience in fastening to the deck above and lower plates f, which are secured to the tracks -D. These brackets F are ofiset from the tracks D, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the pulleys H of the trolley-hangers H may run freely thereon without striking said hangers. The lower end of the trolley is provided with a loop H into which the slings K for the ammunition are hooked or otherwise secured. The stationary tracks D deliver to the movable track 0 in a direction substantially tangential thereto, as shown in Fig. l, and are beveled ofi at d, Fig. 6, to make the transfer easy.

L, Fig. 2, represents a shell which is about to be placed in the ammunition-tube B.

It will be seen that no matter what may be the position of the turret a shell or a powder charge may be hoisted on the trolley at any part of the room A and then may be run along the track D to the circular track 0 and may be delivered to the ammunitiontube at the desired point.

The apparatus for hoisting the ammunition inside of the tube Bis not shown, as this is not a part of my present invention.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein-described apparatus which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is- I 1. In an apparatus for handling ammunition for turret-guns, the combination of a central column adapted to turn with the turret, of an annular track attached to said column, and-suspended tracks located in the handling-room and provided with switches connecting with said annular track, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for handling ammunition for turret-guns, the combination of a central column adapted to turn with the turret, of an annular track attached to said column, and suspended tracks located in the handling-room and provided with switches connecting with said annular track, with with switches connected to said annular track, with trolleys for the ammunition-slings traveling on said tracks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LAY H. EVERHART.

Witnesses:

J STEPHEN GIUSTA, JAS. H. BLACKWOOD. 

